I'm not feeling too "swift", because I purchased a swift, but i have no idea how I'm supposed to get my hank/skein onto the swift! I've been told that using a swift in conjunction with a ball winder (which I DO know how to use!) is very handy when trying to wind a hank or a skein) Any advice would be Greatly appreaciated!

What I do (and there's probably a more graceful method) is to have the swift at its smallest size, put the hank of yarn over it, then with one hand twist the hank of yarn (still tied) so it doesn't fall off, and the other hand raise the swift until it fits tightly against the yarn (which I'm loosening my grip on as I raise the swift)

Once the yarn is on it, just find the end of the yarn, break the ties that are holding it in hank state (being VERY careful that they are in fact extra ties, and not part of the hank itself) and hook that end in the ballwinder. As you wind, the swift will spin.

"Choose your friends by their character and your socks by their color. Choosing your socks by their character makes no sense, and choosing your friends by their color is unthinkable."http://RoseByAny.BlogSpot.Com

I do one more thing before putting it on the swift. I insert my arms into the hank and yank it to its full length several times. This straightens out the yarns and lines them up so they come of the swift easier. The biggest cause of problems with a swift is making it spin too fast.

One more tip: if you have a place to mount your swift so it is perpendicular to the floor (when open it will look like a ferris wheel) rather than upright (like a lampshade) then gravity will work for you rather than against you.

I just started using one. Love it love it love it. Fmarrs is right on about making it spin too fast, very easy to do. I got the one at Joann.com, using a 40% coupon. But this week they have 50% coupons and the swifts are still full price so you can get it for around 30 bucks.

I got my swift the same way, MoBarger...I used to shop online at JoAnn's and they sent me coupons all the time. When the 50% off one showed up, I got the swift immediately! I had already ruined 2 hanks of yarn, so I wanted one before I ordered anymore! Love it!